Improvement in feeding paper to and from printing-presses



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NTTED STATES PATENT Ormea@ CHARLES I'IVER, JR., AND C. B. COTTRELIJ, OF WTESTERLY, RHODE ISLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN FEEDING PAPER TO AND FROM PRINTING-PRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 25,524, dated September 20, 1859.

T0 @ZZ whom it' may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES POTTER, J r., of Westerly, in the county of Vashington, in the State of Rhode Island, and C. B. OOTTRELL, of the same place, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Printing- Presses; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description' of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a portion of this speciiication, which is a longitudinal section of a cylinderpress with our improvement.

Our improvement relates to the feeding-in and to the discharging and piling apparatus. It is common to employ two or more sharp projections with their points standing at a little distance above the surface of the feedboard during a certain portion of the revolution of the press and a little distance below the surface of the feed-board during another portion of the said revolution. Projections of this character are employed in our improved press, and for the same purpose as in other presses is to obtain as accurate register as possible; but in all presses heretofore known these projections, technically designated points, have been secured on moving, and have consequently always been liable soon to acquire a greater or less amount of play or looseness corresponding with the wear or lost motion of the mechanism, and this has been one of the difficulties in the way of obtaining accurate register. Our invention overcomes this difficulty. Furthermore, it is common after the sheets have been printed to carry them away by means of a series of tapes or of two or more series running upon suitable rollers. Tapes are employed for this purpose in our improved press; but we are 'not aware that the tapes have ever before been so mounted and operated as to themselves deposit the sheets upward upon the board or pile. On the contrary, there has always heretofore been required a secondary part, as a fly, a cylinder or partial cylinder, or some other device, for the purpose of receiving each sheet from the tapes and depositing it upon the pile. Any device added for this purpose is objectionable, as it obstructs the access to the back of the press. Our invention overcomes this difficulty and piles the sheets face upward by lthe tapes themselves in such manner as to allow easy access to the bed of the press from each side.

The nature of our invention consists in securing the registering-points to a iixed portion of the press and releasing the paper therefrom at the proper time by elevating the adjacent surface of the feedboard in lieu of moving the points in anywise.

The nature of our invention also consists in depositing each sheet face upward upon the pile by carrying it between two or more vibrating series of tapes, which are moved from the press with the same velocit-y as the tapes revolve.

The nature of our invention also consists in the arrangement of the several piling parts in a vibrating frame, conveying the motion to the Vtapes therein through a shaft, which serves also as a hinge, and imparting the Droper vibratory motion by means of a hooked bar or its equivalent, whereby the frame may be readily unhooked and swung out of the way to allow access to the bed ot' the press from the back side without deran ging or disturbing any of the mechanism.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use our invention, we will proceed to describe its construction and operation by the aid of the drawing and of the letters of reference marked thereon.

The main cylinder, which carries the paper to the form, is denoted by A, and is mounted in lixed bearings in the frame of the machine, which frame is partially represented in outline below it by B.

It may be proper to explain that the press is a drum-cylinder press, or one in which the form (not represented) reciprocates beneath on ways, (not represented,) and that only the parts of the press to which ourimprovements relate-viz., the parts concerned in feeding in and carrying out the sheets-are considered important to be shown, as our improvement applies to all varieties of presses.

The feed-board on which the paper is laid to be supplied to the press is denoted by D. Nippers (not represented) are mountedin the cylinder, as usual, to seize the edge of the sheet, which is presented at the lower edge of the feed-board. A slender rocking shaftE is mounted under the feed-board D, and upon this shaft are two leversF and G, as represented. The lever F is acted on by the cam H at a certain point in the revolution of the cylinder A, and is by this means elevated and sustained during a certain part of the revolution of A in the position designated by the red lines. This operation also elevates the lever G to the same extent, and when the cam l-l has passed entirely beyond the extremity of F both the levers F and G sink by gravity into the positions indicated by the black lines.

I is one of a pair of metallic projections termed points. They are secured by screws or other suit-able means tothe stationary portion of the feed-board. Their positions are adjustable at pleasure thereon; but when their proper places have been accurately determined they are rigidly secured, and during the working of the press they do not partake of the motions of any working part.

J J are portions of the surface of the feedboard adjacent to I. They are distinct from the other portion of the feed-board, which is recessed to receive them, as represented. The parts J J are severally fixed on the branches 7a k of the movable frame K, which latter is mounted beneath the feed-board D in such manner as to be free to move in a line perpendicular to the surface of D, and is supported upon G, so as to be elevated and depressed therewith. lVhile the levers F and G are down, the moveable surface J J of the feedboard is low and the pointsI project slightly above it, allowing the points to enter the sheet of paper M M and hold it rigidly. Then by the action of the cam H the levers F and G are elevated, the movable surface J J is raised sufficiently to detach the sheet from the points and to sustain it at a little higher level while it is being drawn from the feed-board.

There are attached to the back of the frame of the machine, at the points indicated, two stands or bearers L, in which is mounted a shaft-N, extending transversely across ,the frame. On this is suspended a frame P, so that it is free to swing to and fro in a plane at right angles to the shaft N. On the shaft N is fixed a small cylinder n, and by its side is mounted in the frame P the cylinder n. At the lower edge of the frame P are mounted two corresponding cylinders p p. All these cylinders n a and 29 p are free to revolve in their several bearings. A series of endless tapes R embrace and connect the cylinders a and p, and a corresponding series S embrace the cylinders n and p. The cylinders n and n are in close contact each with the other, as are also the cylinders p and p. There is mounted in suitable tixed bearings (not represented) a small cylinder t, in contact with the main cylinder A and receiving a continuous motion therefrom by gearing or otherwise in the direction indicated by the arrows. A series of tapes T embrace and connect with a. The motion of t is therefore communicated to n and thence to n and p p. One or more slender cords V are run around the main cylinder A and around apulley or pulleys n, as represented, and as the cylinder A revolves the printed sheet, which lies exterior to the cords V, is separated thereby from the cylinder and laid upon the tapes T. These tapes transfer it to the rollers n n and thence between the two series of tapes R. and S, which hold it gently confined between them and convey it downward, finally ejecting it between the rollers p p.

A proper vibratory motion is imparted to the frame P by the following means: A camrod XV, having a hook or other convenient means of readily connecting and disconnecting with the frame P, is mounted atthe side of the press, so that its motion is controlled by the cam-groove X in the side of the cylinder A, which groove and the corresponding parts of the cam-rod W are represented by dotted lines. It is obvious that by giving a suitable form and location to the groove X the frame P may be swung either toward or from the press, or may be held stationary at any moment, as may be preferred, so long as WV is connected to P, and that by lifting the hook w at the extremity of the rod W, so that it is clear of the corresponding part of the frame P, the latter will be entirely beyond its control and may be swung in any direction and to any extent desired. 'Ve give such a form and location to the groove that when the hook w is connected to the frame the latter vibrates moderately toward and from the press, being always near the press when the forward edge of a sheet begins to emerge from between the rollers and moving steadily and uniformly therefrom during the whole period while the sheet is emerging, the horizontal motion of the rollers p p being exactly equal to the velocity of the descent of the sheet,which is held between them. By this means the forward edge of the sheet is laid upon the pile Z at the edge nearest the press, and as the other portions of the sheet are allowed successively to come down while the frame is receding the whole sheet is laid smoothly face upward upon the pile. After the operation of depositing a sheet is completed the frame P returns by a reverse motion to its first position in time to deposit the next sheet in a similar manner.

In mounting, removing, or correcting a form, or when for any other reason it is desired to obtain access to the bed of the press from behind, it is necessary simply to lift the hook w and swing up the frame P, with its several cylinders and tapes, and hold it by a suitable catch-stop or any convenient means in the position indicated by the red lines. The time required thus to unhook and swing up and again to lower and hook on the frame is less than to remove a ily or any other device which has ever within our knowledge been employed for the purpose of piling the sheets. Our improved press is capable of working with all the rapit'lty of other presses of the same character with more convenience to the operators, and of producing better workB The 'register is more exact, as it is impossible to maintain the position of freelyworking points with the same accuracy as stationary ones, and the manner in which the sheets are deposited upon the pile being less Violent than other In cans is less liable to baekset or induce a false impression from one sheet upon another. y

Having now fully described our improvement in printing-presses, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

l. The securing of the registering-points I firmly to a fixed portion of the machine and releasing the paper therefrom at the proper time by elevating the adjacent surface J Jg as herein set forth.

2. Depositiugl each sheet face upward ou the pile by carrying it between vibrating series of tapes R S, operated substantially in the manner herein set forth.

3. The arrangement of the cylinders yn n p p and the series of tapes R S or their respective equivalents in the vibrating frame P, which vibrates on the shaftN as a center and receives its proper vibrating motion 'from the hook w or its equivalent, whereby the frame P may be readily unhooked and swung out of the way to allow access to the bed of the press without deraugiug or disturbing any of the mechanism.

C. POTTER, JR. C. B. COTTRELL.

Witnesses:

DAVID SMITH, WILLIAM P. CoY. 

